Each year, the first snowfall throws Minnesota roads into chaos. Long time residents and new drivers alike forget how to drive in snow. Hastings residents forget to move their vehicles off the road fast enough to avoid a snow emergency tow or ticket, and a few unlucky folks find themselves in the ditch after a spinout. Every year, social media is abuzz with questions of how long it will take for the side streets to be cleared, and each year, we at the Hastings Journal publish this story in some form to help answer those questions and give you additional things to think about around winter safety.
There are positives to the first snowfall of the season. It is beautiful to see the dormant trees covered in white, the brown grass finally has a beautiful, fluffy cover, and kids can get outside to use up some of that pent up energy playing in the snow. Social media also has plenty of helpers, private plow truck operators and random people offering to help clear snow for their neighbors in need.
So, what do you need to know about being prepared for winter? For seasoned, hearty Minnesotans, these things should be known already, but let’s also be realistic, as we age, some things become habit, and other things slip our minds. Now, this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, but, the intention is to give you a reminder of things and light that spark that kickstarts your own list of things to do.
What is a snow emergency and how is it communicated?
Per city ordinance, a snow emergency in Hastings automatically kicks in when there is two inches of snow or more that accumulates. There will be no notifications from the city, and all vehicles must be moved off the street until the road has been cleared curb to curb. Failure to remove a vehicle from the street for a snow emergency can result in a $77 citation and possibly a tow.
During an extended storm, when snow continues to fall for an extended period of time, our cleanup requires multiple passes and can take longer to complete. You are still required to keep vehicles off the street until the snowstorm has ended, and the street has been plowed to its full width.
If your vehicle has been towed, it will be taken to Southeast Towing. You can reach them at 651-437-2446.
City Roads and Sidewalks
So, how roads are plowed and why does it take so long for some streets to be cleared? Hastings public works has over 105 miles of roads to clear. Let that number sink in a little. 105 miles…
According to Google Maps, if you were to travel from the Hastings Post office to Grand Casino Hinkley, that is 99.2 miles, it would take one hour and 35 minutes. Hastings to St. Cloud State, 94.7 or 101 miles depending on which way you go, and it would take 1:39 or 1:41, respectively. You could be in Iowa at Diamond Jo Casino by driving 107 miles in 1:45. Slippery’s Bar and Grill, made famous by Grumpy Old Men in Wabasha, is only 56 miles in an hour and 10 minutes, so you would have to continue down to Winona State, and you still would only drive 88.7 miles in 1:42.
Nearly all those trips are mostly done at 60-70 miles per hour. Traveling 105 miles at plow speeds is a much longer trip time wise, especially when you must dodge all the cars that are still on the streets after the snow emergency is in effect. During one of the larger storms last winter, Hastings issued 35 citations for violating snow emergency parking regulations.
Most plows travel at 15-20 miles per hour max down the residential streets, and they are making multiple passes to clear the road ‘curb to curb’ Of course, there is an army of plow trucks out and about, but that still takes an average of eight to ten hours for the roads to be cleared in town according to the City of Hastings. That timeframe can be dramatically extended if the snowfall is lengthy or the storm has extended breaks between accumulation.
How does the city decide which roads are plowed first? The priority is emergency vehicles and higher volume routes, and they move to the ancillary streets and cul-de-sacs. Then repeat if needed. Their goal is to conduct operations consistently to increase efficiency. Meaning, they have a route they take each snow fall to help the driver be more efficient. Changing the route means drivers must stop and read the route sheet more often. The more you do the route, the more you can do from memory. The goal of the city is to balance safety of the residents and the workers along with being efficient with the tools the city has at its disposal to get the job done. Sometimes, it is in the best interest of all parties to delay hitting the roads for a full clearing based on the forecast.
Downtown is a different animal for processing snow since there is not a lot of space for excess snow to be stored. Property owners need to shovel the sidewalks before the snow removal process begins. Since they have no place to put the snow they shovel, they shovel it into the street. Then, plows come by and move all the sidewalk and street snow into the middle of the street to open the parking spaces and allow safe access to businesses. The issue is, now there is a huge pile in the middle of the street that needs to go somewhere to fully open the roadway.
This initial phase of the snow removal process happens early on in the cleanup. Sometime within 24-48 hours, public works crews return downtown to bring the snow to its final destination, the back of the Lake Rebecca parking lot. This is the perfect spot because it is out of the way and allows the snow to melt back into the river over time. The process is interesting to watch, it is a ballet of big orange dump trucks, a giant snowblower and a plow. The snow blower fills the trucks, the trucks carry the snow away and the plow cleans up what is left of the snow as the rest move to the next block. The whole process for an eight-inch snowfall takes approximately 4-5 hours of work.
Sidewalks downtown are taken care of, but who is responsible for the rest of the sidewalks in town? The owner or renter of the property that the sidewalk is on. Hastings has a simple city code for sidewalk snow removal. Code requires you to clear sidewalks on your property within 48 hours after the end of snowfall for general public safety, this is for both residential and commercial properties. If it has been over 48 hours and the sidewalk is not cleared, that can be reported to public works at 651-480-6185. Once reported, the property owner or renter will be notified to perform the work otherwise public works will clear the sidewalk and the owner will be billed.
Fire hydrants need special and immediate attention because we all know that, in an emergency situation, second can mean the difference between life and death. Residents with fire hydrants on their property need to ensure that snow is removed around the hydrant a minimum of three feet and there needs to be a path from the nearest roadway to the hydrant. The City of Hastings has their Hydrant Hero program to encourage residents to get out and help their neighbors keep hydrants accessible all winter long. The process is simple, clear around the hydrant as described above, take a selfie with your work and share the photo on Facebook, X or Instagram tagging @cityofhastingsmn and using the hashtag #HastingsHydrantHeroes. Those participating will be entered into a drawing to win a prize.
Trash service During the winter, it is recommended that trash and recycling bins are left behind the curb line and not in the street as they cause issues for plows. Because of the wake that plows can cause, trash bins can get knocked over. If this happens, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to clean up any messes made. If possible, it may be best to bring the bins down just before the garbage trucks arrive if your street has not been plowed yet. Remember, the reach of most of the garbage trucks is under five feet and drivers usually stay a foot or two out in the street to avoid getting stuck or sliding into your property, so leaving carts behind the snowplow piles does not work.
Postal Delivery For your carrier to get to the mailbox, you are required to give them a clear path. If you live on a walking route, consider clearing a path through your yard to give them the shortest route possible. If you have a mailbox at the end of the drive, clear some extra space around it to make their job a little easier. If you have a larger, neighborhood mailbox on your property, remember, you are responsible for keeping it accessible.
Travel and vehicle safety
Winter travel is different from summer travel in many ways, especially related to vehicle traction and needs if you become stranded. These tips are not all inclusive but give you a great foundation to build on.
There are obvious maintenance pieces for your vehicle that should be taken care of prior to the first snow fall. Simple things like tire checks and ensuring fluids are at proper levels can make sure the vehicle operates normally. Checking your brakes for issues before being on road surfaces with uncertain traction can also help ensure safe operations. These are all things you can do yourself easily enough, but if you do not feel comfortable with that, Hastings has many great auto shops that offer these kinds of services.
Tires: Check your tires for uneven wear and tread depth. The US Department of Transportation recommends that you replace your tires when they have worn down to 2/32 inch, but how do you check that? The easiest way to do that is the penny test.
Take a penny and place it with Lincoln’s head upside down between two ribs on your tire. If part of the head is covered, your tires are still in good shape. If you can see his entire head, your tread is worn to 2⁄32 inch or less and it’s time for new tires. Check various points on the tire — around the circumference and between different ribs — to look for uneven tire wear.
Fluids: Primarily oil, coolant and washer fluid. If mechanical work is not your forte, have a professional double check your oil and coolant. If it is, then you already know how to do that. If you want to learn, that might be a bit much to explain in an article such as this. Head to YouTube and you will find a plethora of instructional videos. For the washer fluid, that is easy enough to do on your own, simply top off the washer fluid before you need it and check it every time you fill your vehicle with fuel.
Speaking of fuel, during colder months, water condensation can become an issue. It is less of an issue with the newer fuel systems, but this is also a simple thing to do. Remember the phrase, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Keeping your fuel tank from going below half full can help moisture from accumulating in the system which can help prevent a fuel system from freezing. Another option is a fuel system additive like HEET which helps eliminate moisture from the system chemically.
Driving in the winter requires more attention to the environment around you and how your vehicle interacts with it. First of all, slow down. Traction changes even with the slightest amount of snow and ice. Remember, four-wheel drive does not mean four-wheel stop or turning. Take your time and slow down as you approach stops and make turns. Increase your following distance and make calculated gentle and slow movements, sudden movements can cause the tires to lose contact with the road surface. Avoid using cruise control and do not pass snowplows.
Occupant safety: Clearly, seat belts save lives and with the increased chance of an accident happening during the winter months, make sure you are properly belted for every trip. Remember, for children and infants in car seats, it is safer for them to be belted in without thick winter jackets, so, always have a couple blankets that you can leave in your car to help them keep warm in their seats.
Besides some blankets, having a winter emergency kit in your vehicle can come in handy, especially if you travel out of town. Things like protein bars and non-perishable food, hand warmers, a first aid kit, bottled water (even if it freezes), a portable rechargeable weather radio, flares, foil solar blankets, compass, knife, fire starters, rope, flashlight, and more can come in handy if you end up in a ditch. Keep them in a bag or backpack easily accessible in the trunk or rear of your vehicle. Remember to periodically check your emergency kit for expired food and to charge anything needing a recharge.
If you find yourself in the ditch somewhere with limited cellular service, remember text messages require less signal to connect with than phone calls. The first thing you should do is send a text message to your trusted contacts with your location and that you need help. If you can connect to your GPS software, you can generate a link to your location and send the text of that to them as well. Stay with your vehicle. It is usually easier to spot a vehicle than a person, plus, you built your emergency kit to keep you safe in the vehicle.
If the vehicle is still running or capable of running, make sure to clear around the exhaust so that dangerous fumes do not enter the vehicle. Depending on where you are and the amount of traffic on the roadway, if you think you will be there for some time, balance your fuel and battery usage to extend the time you have for warmth. Luckily, the majority of the roads in the area are well traveled so help should not be too far away.
Additional winter safety tips are available online and the level of preparedness you wish to have is your choice. Stay safe this winter and happy holidays.
